Lynn R

During our trip to Madrid last week, we met a young couple from Bangalore whilst eating in an Indian restaurant there. They were on holiday, moving on to Sevilla and then to Barcelona where they had tickets for El Clasico. They weren't even football fans, just going because of how famous Spanish football and the Nou Camp stadium are! I hope they enjoyed it, the success of Spanish football must be helping the tourist industry in Spain.

steviedeluxe

Yes, I'd agree. Madrid had the better of the first half, Barca the second. If Benzema hadn't been off the pace though, Madrid could have been 3 or 4-nil up in the first half hour. He's got so much talent but appears to freeze on the big occasion.

Pocaloca

Barça have a big following in Palestine apparently:

Why Spain's greatest football match, El Clasico, matters to Palestinians

In Gaza they defied a Hamas boycott and watched the match (the boycott was called because Barça allowed a former kidnapped Israeli soldier to attend the game).

steviedeluxe

Madrid has announced that last year its earnings rose to over 500 million euros (they are the world's biggest earning club), and Barcelona are not far behind. However teams below them in the earnings league, like Atleti and Valencia are in severe financial difficulties, and have to keep selling their best players to survive.

Domino

that used to be Man U - until the Glazers used leveraged debt to buy the club/company.

and the problem for the lower clubs in the leagues, well that has been around for eons. they have always provided a proving ground for up and coming players and sold them to make ends meet. I remember the buzz when it was realised the senior scout from a major side was in the box with the chairman.

Pit Bull.

Messis free kick was an almost carbon copy of his last one against Real Madrid, why do teams persist in putting up a five or six man wall when someone is shooting from 25 to 30 yards out, it's impossible to score from there with no wall blocking the view of the goal keeper, who only sees the ball as it flies like a bullet over the wall and by then he has no chance, seems stupid to me.

steviedeluxe

Yes, I've often wondered that. But then, there'd be nothing to stop the attacking team putting bodies in the wall, and crouching down at the last moment. At least the defending wall can jump and attempt to deflect the shot.

Pit Bull.

Fair point, would be funny to watch that though.

Dick Dasterdly

I've seen jumping defenders and keepers caught out by free kicks that are hammered along the ground and go straight under their feet as they jump.
The other Ronaldo, the Brazilian one did it quite a few times.

Dick Dasterdly

Shame.
The lack of serious competition spoils it a bit.
Looks like remaining the same old two horse race for many seasons to come with the other sides playing simply to pick up the crumbs as far as la liga is concerned, though a place in Europe may help to ease their frustration a little.

I see there was a demo at the match for Catalan independence.
The pressure keeps building.
A one horse race as now exists in Scotland wouldn't even bear thinking about.

cricketman

Last time I looked Real Madrid were eighth in the table

The resurgent Atletico Madrid are second and Malaga third, Atletico Madrid thrashed Chelsea in the Euro Super Cup final recently and Malaga have won their first 2 games in the Champions League despite having sold 4 of their best places last season (including the amazing Santi Cazorla to Arsenal)

Spanish football is very strong - Barcelona and Real Madrid would finish first and second in the Premiere league too. In my opinion, probably 18 of the top 20 players in the world play in these two clubs - with most of the Spanish national team, plus Ronaldo and Messi

Dick Dasterdly

Early days,not unusual Not many would bet against them in the first two spots again this season or for a few more to come.

Weather or not they'd finish first or second in the harsh environment of the prem is another matter.

You only need to consider the number of top rated platers from La Liga who have failed miserably in the Prem, yet gone back to succeed better than ever in La Liga.

cricketman

Like who?

Xabi Alonso did very well in the Premiership, as have Fabregas, Torres, Mata, Silva, Cazorla, Arbeloa, Reina, Arteta, Jose Enrique etc etc

Actually Arteta was a failure in La Liga but has done amazingly in the Premiership. I'd say the Spanish players that have gone to the Premiership have actually done better there than in Spain. Fabregas is just a bit-part player at Barcelona for example. Torres had a really low scoring rate at Atletico Madrid. Mata and Silva were good, but got nowhere near the amount of attention they get now. The UK press are drooling over Cazorla, he has been around for years in Spain, always playing very well, but for the smaller clubs because Barca/Madrid didnt want him

The failures such as Albert Luque and Jose Reyes were just average players who never did very well in La Liga

As for English players in La Liga - Owen was always sub. Beckham was in and out of the Madrid team, Pennant couldnt even get in a Zaragoza team that was bottom of the table. The last good English player here was Gary Lineker 25 years ago

steviedeluxe

I agree with most of that, but remember that Mark Hughes the Welshman, and Steve McManaman, were well regarded when they played in La Liga. Also, Valencia fans were well aware of how good both Silva and Mata were - many in particular didn't want Mata to leave.

People don't realise just how immense the current achievements have been of the current Spain team. They won the Euros in 2008, the World Cup in 2010 and the Euros again in 2012. They must be contenders also in Brazil in 2014 (although very difficult for a European team to win in south America - has it ever been done?) By contrast I don't think England will win anything in the next 20 years. I'd love to be proven wrong, but I very much doubt it.

cricketman

Steve McManaman did well at Real Madrid, the fans loved him. But even he was a sub week in week out, he rarely was in the first 11

Mark Hughes is regarded as one of the worst players to have ever played for Barcelona. Terry Venables bought him to partner Gary Lineker in attack, but he was rubbish and sent out on loan for a year before being sold to Man U. The Barca fans used to whistle every time he got the ball he was so bad

Yes this generation of Spanish footballers is probably the best there has ever been